Flameproof fabric construction

ABSTRACT

A FABRIC CONSTRUCTION PROVIDING A NAP SURFACED FLAMEPROOF FABRIC SUBJECT TO BEING MADE LIGHT IMPERVIOUS AND SUBJECT TO HAVING DESIRED DECORATIVE EFFECTS APPLIED TO THE NAP SURFACE. THE FABRIC IS FORMED BY COATING OR IMPREGNATING A WOVEN FIBERGLASS BASE FABRIC WITH AN AIR IMPERVIOUS COATING, SUCH FOR EXAMPLE AS ALUMINUM OR THE LIKE MATALLIC MATERIAL ADAPTED TO FORM A LIGHT IMPERVIOUS BARRIER ON THE BASE FABRIC. THE DESIRED NAP SURFACE ON THE FABRIC IS PROVIDED BY SECURING FLOCK TO ONE SIDE OF THE BASE FABRIC. THE FLOCK IS SECURED BY MEANS OF AN ADHESIVE WHICH IN THE PRESENCE OF HEAT PREVENTS THE FLOW OF OXYGEN TO THE FLOCK FIBERS.

s. GEQRGE 3,666,522

FLAMEPROOF FABRI C CONSTRUCTION Filed March 26, 1970 May 30, 1972 l2 INVENTOR STEPHEN GEORGE ATTORNEY.

United States Patent Oflice 3,666,522 FLAMEPROOF FABRIC CONSTRUCTION Stephen George, 747 Swinton Ave., Bronx, N.Y. 10465 Filed Mar. 26, 1970, Ser. No. 22,819 Int. Cl. B44c 1/08 US. Cl. 117-33 8 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A fabric construction providing a nap surfaced flameproof fabric subject to being made light impervious and subject to having desired decorative elfects applied to the nap surface. The fabric is formed by coating or impregnating a woven fiberglass base fabric with an air impervious coating, such for example as aluminum or the like metallic material adapted to form a light impervious barrier on the base fabric. The desired nap surface on the fabric is provided by securing flock to one side of the base fabric. The flock is secured by means of an adhesive which in the presence of heat prevents the flow of oxygen to the flock fibers.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to the art of flameproof fabric constructions, and more particularly to an improved flameproof fabric construction providing a fabric having a nap surface providing desired hand and dyeability.

The general flammability of textile fabrics, seriously limits the utilization of these fabrics in situations where fire hazards may exist. A variety of attempts have been made over the years to reduce the flammability of various textile fabrics, and under the Flammable Fabrics Act, standards have been established for determining flammability of the fabric.

In the current state of the art, fabrics are rendered flame resistant in two ways: (1) by the use of natural or synthetic non-combustible fibers in the fabric consstruction, or (2) by the application of flame resistant finishes to the fabric.

The most widely used non-combustible fibers in fabric construction are the glass fibers which have been used in drapery fabrics since the middle 1930s. More recently, progress has been made in formulating flame resistant fabrics of synthetic fibers such as rayon, and the acrylics.

It is however diflicult to obtain a desired hand or feel in synthetic fabrics, and dyeing fabrics formed of synthetic fibers to obtain desired color results presents problems.

Accordingly, flame resistant finishes have been evolved for use on natural fiber fabrics so as to provide a flame resistant fabric having the desired surface texture and dyeability of such natural fiber fabrics. However these flame resistant finishes, require additional processing, since they are generally applied by padding and subsequent curing of the finish. Additionally, the finish detracts from the dyeability and hand of the fabric.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is with the above considerations in mind, that the present improved fabric construction has been evolved, serving to provide a relatively flameproof fabric, particularly adapted for use as a drapery fabric, in which a natural fiber surface is provided having the desired hand and dyeability of the natural fiber, with the fabric subject to being made light proof as well as flame retardant, thereby implementing use of the fabric as a blackout curtain or drapery.

3,666,522 Patented May 30, 1972 It is accordingly among the primary objects of this invention to provide an improved flame resistant fabric.

A further object of the invention is to provide a flame resistant fabric with the desired surface texture of a natural fiber fabric.

A further object of the invention is to provide a flame resistant fabric which may be made light proof.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a flame resistant fabric subject to printing or dyeing to provide desired surface decor.

Another object of the invention is to provide a flame resistant fabric which is washable and/or dry cleanable without the dry cleaning or washing affecting the flame resistant qualities of the fabric.

Another object of the invention is to provide a flame resistant fabric which is shrink resistant. H

An additional object of the invention is to provide a flame resistant fabric which may be printed without requiring prior desizing, scouring or bleaching.

Another object of the invention is to provide a flame resistant fabric subject to being made thermally insulating.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a fabric construction in which a desired printed surface of the fabric is not subject to ultraviolet degradation from external sunlight.

An additional object of the invention is to provide means for minimizing fiberglass splinters on a fiberglass containing fabric.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a fabric with the desired characteristics of fiberglass which may be machine sewn as rapidly as cotton goods.

These and other objects of the invention which will become hereafter apparent are achieved by forming a fabric with a fiberglass base, it being preferred to employ a woven fiberglass fabric as the base. A light impervious, preferably light reflective coating is applied to the fiberglass base, it being preferred to employ an aluminum barrier coating applied to a surface of the woven fiberglass base. Flock fibers, preferably natural cotton fibers, are then secured to the surface of the base fabric by means of an adhesive which in the presence of heat prevents the fl'ow of oxygen to the flock fibers.

A feature of the invention resides in the utilization of an oxygen blocking adhesive to secure the flock fibers to the base fabric so that the oxygen necessary to support combustion of the flammable flock fibers is not available as a result of which the fabric is not subject to flammable ignition.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS The specific details of a preferred embodiment of the invention and their mode of functioning will be made most manifest, and particularly pointed out in clear, concise and exact terms in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is an enlarged cross sectional schematic view of the fabric material showing the details of its construction.

FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view of the fabric material showing it illustratively subjected to the flame of a blow torch on its cotton flock surface.

DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION Referring now more particularly to the drawings, like numerals in the various illustrative figures will be employed to designate like parts.

The flame resistant drapery material 10 illustratively depicted in FIG. 1 is constructed of woven fiberglass base fabric 12, the warp 13 and fill 14 yarns of which are shown in cross sectional view. A .002" thick (dry film) aluminum barrier coating 15, is shown as applied to one surface of the woven fiberglass base fabric 12. In this illustrated embodiment a .003" thick (dry film) flock adhesive coating 17 is applied over the aluminum barrier coating to secure the cotton flock fibers 18, to the fabric. The aluminum barrier coating 15, totally reflects the light (as represented by rays S) rendering the fabric light impervious.

The woven fiberglass base fabric 12 used in the illustrated preferred embodiment of fabric construction has the following preferred specifications:

(1) Fabric thickness: .0047 (2) Weight: 4.3 ounces per square yard (3) Weave pattern: Twill weave, 3.1 (4) Construction:

56 warp ends per inch 64 filling picks per inch (5 Yarn size:

(6) Tensile strength:

Warp-195 pounds per inch Fill-180 pounds per inch Tensile strength: Minimum average breaking strength, in

pounds per inch (ASTM method 579-49) As will be understood by those skilled in the art the base fabric 12 though preferably formed of woven fiberglass (a twill weave being preferred), may be made of any variety of flame resistant or non-combustible materials. Thus fiame resistant synthetics such as treated rayon (as offered by Beaunit Fibers Co. and American Viscose Division of F.M.C.) or Modacrylic fibers (as ofiered by Union Carbide and Eastman Kodak) may be employed, and the fabric may be either felted or woven.

The light impervious barrier coating is preferably dry film aluminum, as described such as aluminum powder #350 offered by Atlantic Powdered Metals Co. in a resin vehicle, but any of a large variety of reflective coatings may be employed. This barrier coating 15 may be applied to either surface of the base fabric 12, or may be im pregnated throughout the fabric, it being understood that the fabric weave or porosity of a felted fabric be selected to provide for light free closure of any spacing between fibers by the barrier coating.

The flock 18 is preferably a 100% cotton flock, random cut, of a 50 mesh screen size applied at a density of 3 ounces per square yard. It will however be understood that other flock fibers, sizes, and densities may be employed.

The adhesive coating 17, may be made up in a number of formulations, the following examples being illustrative of formulations which upon the application of heat have been found to retard the flow of oxygen to the normally flammable flock fibers:

scription: Liquid 38.00 (3) Di Ammonium Hydrogen Phosphate DAP-Latent Acid Catalyst. Description:

25 concentrate in water 2.50 (4) Titanium Dioxide. Description: 60% concentrate in water slurry 57.00

Materials:

Materials:

4 (5) ASE-GO-Thickening Agent, Rohm & Haas Co., Pa. Description: 50% concentrate in EXAMPLE 2 (1) Resin-Ucar-874-Acrylic Polymer, Union water 30.00 (6) DF-l60-L Defoamer, NOPCO Div. of Diamond Shamrock Chemical Co., Newark, NJ. Description: 50% concentrate in water .50 (7) Dowicil- Biocide. Description: 50%

concentrate in water 1.20 (8) Water 35.33 (9) Ammonia NH OH. Description: 28%

concentrate 6.60 (10) Tetrasodium Pyrophosphate (TSPP). De-

scription: Anhydrous powdered .17

Parts by weight as is Carbide Co., N.Y 134.20 (2) Fyrol 32B, Stauffer Chemical Co. Description: Tris-2,3-Dibromopropyl Phosphate 33.50 (3) Phoschek-P/30, Monsanto Chemical Co.

Description: An ammonium polyphosphate 26.90 (4) DF-l60-L Defoamer, NOPCO Div. of Diamond Shamrock Chemical Co., Newark, NJ. Description: 50% concentrate in water .50 (5) Titanium Dioxide. Description: 60% concentrate in water 57.00 (6) Tri-Cresyl Phosphate-Plasticizer (TCP).

Description: Liquid 38.00 (7) ASE-60-Thickening Agent, Rohm & Haas Co., Pa. Description: 50% concentrate in water 42.00 (8) Ammonia-NH 0H. Description: 28% concentrate 6.60 (9) Dowicil-lOO Biocide. Description: 50%

concentrate in Water 1.20 (10) Water 103.23 (11) Tetrasodium Pyrophosphate (TSPP). De-

scription: Anhydrous Powdered .17

EXAMPLE 3 (l) Resin-Geon 460xl-Vinyl Chloride Copoly- Parts by weight as is mer, B. F. Goodrich Co., Cleveland, Ohio 127.40 (2) Fyrol-32B, Stautier Chemical Co. Description: Tris-2,3-dibromopropyl phosphate 31.80 (3) Phoschek-P/30, Monsanto Chemical Co.

Description: An ammonium polyphosphate 25.50 (4) DF-l60-L Defoamer, NOPCO Div. of Diamond Shamrock Chemical Co., Newark, NJ. Description: 50% concentrate in water .50 (5) Titanium Dioxide. Description: 60% concentrate in water 57.00 (6) Tri-Cresyl Phosphate-Plasticizer (TCP).

Description: Liquid 38.00 (7) ASE-60-Thickening Agent, Rohm & Haas Co., Pa. Description: 50% concentrate in water 20.00 (8) Ammonia-NILOH. Description: 28% concentrate 6.60 (9) Dowicil-lOt] Biocide. Description: 50%

concentrate in water 1.20 (10) Water 113.13 (11) Tetrasodium Pyrophosphate (TSPP). De-

scription: Anhydrous powdered .17

It is found that the desired reflective barrier may be combined with the flock adhesive by dispersing a metallic powder such as #350 aluminum powder above referred to, in the adhesive formulation.

The following combined reflective coating has been found suitable:

Total Total parts Materials wet parts less water 1. RC-546-Flre Retardant Resin, Rohm & Haas 00., Pa. Description: 50% solids water 250. 125. 00 2. Aluminum Powder #350, Atlantic Powdered Metals 00., NYC. Description: Dry powder 12. 12. 50 3. 'IIi-Cresyl Phosphate-Plasticizer, TCP.

Description: Liquid 25. 0 25. 00 4. Diammonium Hydrogen Phosphate,

DAP. Description: 25% concentrate in water 0 2.50 5. Titanium Dioxide. Description: 60% coneentrate in water slurry 95.0 57. 00 6. ASE-60-Thiekening agent, Rohm &

Haas 00., Pa. Description: 50% concentrate in water 14. 0 7. 00 7. DF-lfidL-Defoamer, NOPCO Div. of

Diamond Shamrock Chem. 00. Description: 50% concentrate in water. 0. 5 25 8. Dowicil-l00 Biocide. Description: 50%

concentrate in water 1.2 .60

Total 408. 2 229. 85

Typical properties V1scosity 60,000 cps. Solids 56.3%. pH 6.5 to 7.0.

It is additionally found that in using a woven fiberglass base fabric 12 with metallic aluminum in the barrier coating 15, where the glass is purple the light reflected from the aluminum coated fabric is gold; where the 1 glass is amber, light reflected from the coated fabric is yellow; and where the glass is pink, a reddish gold reflect is obtained.

Preferred construction procedures Apply to one surface of the twill woven fiberglass base fabric 12 an aluminum barrier coating of .004" wet thickness, 56.3% solids, (formulation herein described) dry and cure coating at 300 F. for 3 minutes.

Apply a flock adhesive coating 17 of .006" wet thickness, 54.8% solids, (formulation herein described) over the aluminum barrier coating and surface with cotton flock. Dry and cure flock adhesive at 300 F. for 3 minutes.

Remove all unadhered flock from the surface of the fabric, by vacuuming, electrostatically, or the like.

Product specifications The finished drapery fabric will have the following specifications:

Weight: 9.5 ounces per square yard Thickness: .009" Tensile strength:

Warp Direction-495 pounds per inch Fill Direction180 pounds per inch Finish:

Side #lWhite cotton flock Side #2-Woven fiberglass in metallic colors NOTE: The metallic color of the fiberglass side is determined by the color tint of the fiberglass.

Flame resistance: The fabric is totally flame resistant Blackout properties: The fabric is 100% light impenetrable Washability: The fabric may be washed without affecting the flame retardant properties of the fabric.

Dry cleanability: The fabric may be dry cleaned without affecting the flame retardant properties of the fabric.

OPERATION The fabric is constructed of woven fiberglass. A flame resistant aluminum coating is applied to one surface of the fabric to serve as a barrier coating to prevent air (i.e. oxygen) from entering into or passing through the normally porous fabric. A specially compounded flame resistant, white flock adhesive is applied over the aluminum coating to bond the white cotton flock fibers to the woven fiberglass. In using the flock adhesive of Example 1, which employs a copolymer resin of Vinylidene Chloride .Acrylate manufactured by Rohm & Haas Co. of Philadelphia and designated by them as RC-546. The fire retardant qualities of this resin will not diminish with age as they are an integral property of the Vinylidene Chloride Acrylate Copolymer.

When the fabric is subjected to a flame or the intense heat of a flame, the flock adhesive will decompose, without flaming, releasing chlorine gas as part of the reaction as shown in FIG. 2. Sufficient quantities of chlorine gas are released to quench the oxygen supply at the flock surface of the fabric. The oxygen requirements necessary to sustain a flame or burning of the cotton flock surface are prevented from passing through the fabric (as normal fabric porosity would permit) by the aluminum surrounding the surface of the cotton flock. This source of oxygen, however, is choked olf by the flame quenching chlorine gas and other products of combustion released by the flock adhesive. This gas cannot penetrate the aluminum barrier coating and thus must surface on the flock side of the fabric.

The cotton flock fiber distribution on the surface of the,

fabric, by weight, is approximately one (1) ounce per 432 square inches, or inversely of an ounce of fiber per sqriare inch of surface. The chlorine gas released by the .005" thick adhesive per square inch is easily sufficient to quench the combustion of this quantity of fiber. This quenching action is so unique that the results of the VerticaljFlame Test proved excellent.

NOTE: Results given in the Vertical Flame Test were determined in the following manner: A strip of cloth A: inch wide and 10 inches long was suspended vertically in a draft-free area. Attempts were made to ignite the strip at its lowest point with a small flame for approximately 6 seconds. The strip did not burn on removal of the flame and is therefore classified as excellent, which is the highest flame resistant rating provided by the Federal Specificatioiis. (Test specifications provided by the US. Federal Supply Service, Textile Test Methods Federal Specifications, Method 5902.)

The aluminum barrier coating in addition to preventing oxygen from passing through the porous fabric is also designed as a heat and light reflector. Its resistance to light penetration is thus rendering the drapery fabric totally blackout. It will reflect the heat and ultraviolet rays of sunlight while imparting to the reflected light a lustrous metallic hue. Its outstanding qualities of adhesion hold the warp and fill yarns of the fiberglass, fixed in their woven position thereby preventing unsightly dislocations of the weave common to fiberglass; it also prevents unraveling or fraying of the woven goods along a cut edge.

The flock adhesive, in addition to its fire retardant properties is also designed as a pure white surface coating. The white adhesive surface completely covers the aluminum barrier coating blocking its reflective properties and thus prevents the white cotton flock from appearing grey. The thickness and flexible quality of the flock adhesive is also designed to close sewing machine needle holes thus maintaining the blackout quality of the draperies after fabrication.

What is claimed is:

1. A flame resistant fabric comprising: a non-flammable woven fiberglass base fabric; flock fibers having one end adhered to said base fabric and upstanding therefrom; a flame resistant heat responsive adhesive coating on said base fabric securing said flock fibers to said base fabric, said flame resistant adhesive reacting to a temperature increase above normally encountered atmospheric temperatures to prevent access of oxygen to said flock fibers.

2. A flame resistant fabric as in claim 1 in which said flock fibers are cotton fibers.

3. A flame resistant fabric as in claim 1 in which said References Cited adhesive coating comprises an acrylic polymer. UNITED STATES PATENTS 4. A flame resistant fabric as in claim 1 in which said 3 246 767 4/1966 Pan et a1 adhesive coating comprises a vinyl chloride copolymer. 3496057 2/1970 .Mccluer 117 31 5. A flame resistant fabric as in claim 1 in which said 5 2714559 8/1955 sheflield 117 28 adhesive coating comprises a constituent generating chlo- 1:885:87) 11/1932 Snyder rifle gas the applicatim 05 heat 3,488,725 1/1970 Shen et a1 2s2 s.1 6. A flame resistant fabric as in claim 1 in which said 2,748,019 5 1955 Schramm 7 2g base fabric is coated with alight reflective material. 10 2,875,087 2/1959 Crandon 117-31 7. A flame resistant fabric as in claim 1 in which said adhesive coating additionally comprises a. light reflective MURRAY KATZ, Tummy Examiner material. R. M. SPEER, Assistant Examiner 8' A flame resistant fabric as in claim 3 in which said adhesive coating additionally comprises powdered 15 aluminum. 117-28, 29, 31, 126 GR, 137 

